Select Regions

Omri Petitte
Feb 12, 2013

Page 1 of 10

The extent of Left 4 Dead 2's mods already defies description, where the
truly
wacky
shambles alongside the horde of
new weapons and campaigns
. Now, Valve wants to further slash at the barrier between a modder's creativity and what's possible in-game with the
Extended Mutation System
, an expanded scripting toolset and the future name of my progressive rock band.

As Valve explains it, the system "allows script authors to go past modifying existing scripts and write custom script logic, spawn and control entities, and much more." Think of entirely new game modes, a restructured Director, or custom HUDs. One of Valve's examples was a mode called Holdout that has survivors buying and erecting barricades against waves of undead similar to Call of Duty's Zombies spin-off.

The Extended Mutation System is in
beta testing
for now, but Valve's
developer wiki
already provides a few initial walkthroughs for sample custom modes. I'm keen on
GnomeHunter
—a CTF-meets-hot-potato mode where players have to lug that infernal garden gnome to a locker—but I'd love seeing a variation of Team Fortress 2's Prop Hunt in Versus mode. Why? Because the Hunter can't smell me if I'm a safety cone. Make it happen, modders!

Community:

Magazine:

PC Gamer is the global authority on PC games. For more than 20 years we have delivered unrivaled coverage, in print and online, of every aspect of PC gaming. Our team of experts brings you trusted reviews, component testing, strange new mods, under-the-radar indie projects and breaking news around-the-clock. From all over the world we report on the stuff that you’ll find most interesting, and gives your PC gaming experience the biggest boost.